This past Saturday was #WorldMentalHealthDay. Honestly, I think mental health should be celebrated every day and not something we shine a spotlight on just once a year.
In fact, everything I write + create for actors is always done with the intention of helping you achieve greater mental health, inner peace + ultimate fulfillment on the way to achieving all of your dreams.
Ok, so I know this year has been a roller-coaster ride for all of us in different ways.
Maybe you’ve felt great one day, and been in a funk the next?
Perhaps you’ve gone from feeling productive to procrastinating…in a matter of minutes?
I get it and I’ve been there. I’ve definitely had up and down moments, days + weeks this year. Throw in political debates, social injustices + 8 months of a global pandemic, and well, it makes sense that our mental health has been challenged + tested.
But here’s what I’ve noticed, especially with all of the turmoil + uncertainty going on in the world…
If you are waiting for the outer conditions to change to determine how you’re going to feel on a daily basis, you will always feel powerless, because there is always going to be a condition that doesn’t please you.
When you begin the day reacting and responding to the news or social media, it’s easy to then turn against yourself (or even those around you) and focus on how you’re somehow failing or worry about what you haven’t accomplished yet.
So how do you take your own personal power back?
How do you boost your mood + create a compelling future?
Remind yourself that no matter what happened yesterday, last week or last month….
“What we do today is what matters most.” – Buddha
So, this is your chance to begin again, and use this week to reset, recharge + renew your own commitment to your own mental health.
What has been working for me this past week is by beginning the day (more…)
With all that’s gone on this year (and all that hasn’t), there’s one thing that might feel like it’s missing from your life lately. (Yes, I’ve felt this too).
I just don’t want you to wait too long to get it back.
So today, I want you to ask yourself ONE really important question.
In fact, the answer is vital to your mental, emotional and physical well-being.
Watch the video below + tell me what your answer is in the comments.
I know we’re all trying to find some balance these days, whether you’re juggling parenting, homeschooling your kids, self-taping, your acting career, your day job, finding a new day job or just finding your sanity lately.
I was recently asked to be a guest speaker in Women In Film’s upcoming Speaker Series on Family Ties: Finding Your Balance While Juggling Kids + A Career In The Entertainment Industry. I’ll be joining show-runners, directors, producer, writers and actors for an empowering conversation about balancing it all, and as I was thinking about it, today’s post flowed out of me.
I wanted to share it with you, so you can apply these lessons to your own life.
(And if you’re not a parent, you can swap “my kids” and add in “myself,” and anytime I reference “they” just replace it with “I,” so essentially you’re parenting yourself).
It’s definitely been a rollercoaster ride, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Along the way, I’ve learned to celebrate progress over perfection as well as these insights. Enjoy!
15 Lessons I’ve Learned On My Journey Juggling Career + Family
1. When I show my kids what it looks like to dream big, they learn that anything is possible.
2. When I show my kids what it looks like to fail + get back up again, they learn to not be afraid to try new things.
3. When I show my kids what it looks like to be sad or disappointed, they learn that it’s okay to express themselves.
4. When I show my kids what it looks like to cry, they learn that all emotions are energy in motion + meant to be felt.
5. When I show my kids what it looks like to be a mother, an actress, a wife, an entrepreneur, they learn that they, too, don’t only have to be just one thing.
6. When I show my kids what it looks like to do your best + still not get the job, they learn what resilience looks like.
7. When I show my kids what it looks like to want something + have it not work out immediately the way you want it, they learn what patience + perseverance looks like.
8. When I show my kids what it looks like to take care of myself, they learn to value their own well-being.
9. When I show my kids what it looks like to pursue excellence, they learn to raise the bar for themselves.
10. When I show my kids what it looks like to put the phone down, be present, spend time, to truly listen to what they have to say, they learn that they are valuable.
11. When I show my kids what it looks like to be scared, uncertain or fearful, but to take risks anyway, they learn to embrace the adventure of life.
12. When I show my kids what it looks like to find joy in helping others, they learn compassion.
13. When I show my kids what it looks like to find the beauty in nature, they learn that abundance abounds.
14. When I show my kids what it looks like to find the good in the toughest of situations, they learn the power of a positive mindset.
15. When I show my kids what it looks like to be kind to those who are different than you, they learn empathy.
We all want the best for our kids, but it’s in showing them that it’s okay to fail, to be disappointed, to risk, to get hurt, to get rejected, to fall down, but to also always get up every single time, that we ultimately teach them to rise.
It’s funny, as I put this list together, I also realize that my kids have really been my best teachers.
I hope this helps you find some balance today with all you’re doing, embrace the rollercoaster ride, and also know that you can absolutely juggle both career and family.
Come join us for more on this conversation about being a working parent in the industry. RSVP HERE for the Women In Film Speaker Series: Family Ties: Finding Your Balance While Juggling Kids + A Career In The Entertainment Industry. It’s free and virtual.
Let me know in the comments below, which lesson spoke to you most today.
Here’s to a week of finding balance through it all.
Did you watch the “virtual” Emmy’s last night? Some amazing wins and awesome moments, but I think Ramy Youssef’s sense of humor through it all should have won an award.
So apparently, trophy presenters had to drive to the houses of nominees….and wait outside, donning hazmat suits.
When Ramy Youssef didn’t win, he took a video of the of the presenter outside his window, who basically waved goodbye to him + walked away…Emmy in hand.
Honestly, he should get an award for “Best Sense Of Humor,” after he posted the video + captioned the moment with “when you lose the emmy.” Click here to check it out on twitter.
Can you imagine that moment? Can you imagine handling it with that kind of humor and grace?
If you watched the Emmys, and it left you feeling inspired + hopeful for the possibilities ahead for you, that’s awesome.
But if you turned off the TV and went to bed wondering…
Will it ever happen for me?
What do I do to get to where I want to go?
How will I ever achieve my biggest acting dreams?
Here’s what you need to know today:
The only way to get to where you want to go, is to first make peace with where you are.
So, if you woke up today feeling blue about your career, guess what? You simply added meaning to an event.
You watched an awards show (an event) and made the fact that you aren’t there indicate that you have somehow failed as an actor (meaning you added). And now you feel horrible. (current outcome)
Here’s what that math would look like on a chalk board: (more…)
Today’s message is short, but powerful, and one that I hope will impact you in the coming weeks, months + even years to come.
I love studying the inner shifts of successful people, because I know that every outer success I see, always began on the inside.
I also love that Bryan Cranston shares, so truthfully, what really shifted within him to become the massively successful actor he is today.
Check out this quick video + hear exactly what mental game shift he made, and how you, too, can adopt this new mindset in every audition or self-tape moving forward.
I’m sharing a quick video tip today to help you rock your self-tapes + stand out from the competition.
Actors loved this empowering insight (and all of the deep-dive content to help you thrive in the new normal) I shared in my NEW free masterclass this past weekend.
Thank you for joining me from London to Bombay, Atlanta to L.A., New York to Vancouver and Capetown to Chicago. So amazing to connect with you live!
Here’s what some were saying in the chat:
Did you miss it? No worries, the replay is ready! Learn 5 Core Secrets To Becoming A Successful Working Actor Click here to watch the replay.
Ok, so right now, I know a lot of actors are frustrated when doing self-tapes and often tell themselves, “I’m so much better in the room.”
I get it that you might miss the connection, the interaction and the feedback of an in-person audition, but this thought of “I’m so much better in the room” is not serving you in any way when you’re about to do a self-tape.
In today’s quick video, I share how you can flip the script.
When you’re about to self-tape, stop telling yourself, (more…)
Booking off a self-tape. Do you believe that can happen?
Or do you have thoughts like, “I’m better in the room” or “They’ll never watch this anyway.”
That’s exactly what one of my students, Dominic Ryan, a London based actor, used to think too. He told me this recently, “I was never a fan of self-tapes, as I felt my true personality never came across like it did in the room.”
So what shifted for Dominic? I share it in a quick video here, as well as the exact tool he used (and how you can get it for free) to get in the zone, confidently prepare a self-tape audition in London + book a feature film…that shoots in Russia!
In fact, I’ll send you this “secret self-tape audition weapon” for free when you register for my upcoming brand-new FREE LIVE masterclass happening this week!
When you join me in the free masterclass, I’ll walk you through a simple process to help you uplevel your self-tapes, book more jobs + shine under pressure in the new normal.
It’s nothing I’ve ever taught before + the free virtual masterclass is filling up fast.
I did something that scared me last month + I can’t stop thinking about it.
I did a free LIVE virtual training (perhaps you were there?), and I had to learn an entirely new software system to pull it off.
And yes, there was a lot of self-doubt + some serious ugly cry moments trying to quickly learn the new technology. Have you had those moments too lately? Maybe with all of the self-taping?
But what I also learned was that I didn’t have to be perfect, I just had to be present. And guess what? It absolutely wasn’t perfect, but I know that’s also what made my live training so amazing.
To connect with each other in REAL TIME – LIVE was electric, and I’m still buzzing from it.
To realize I can show up for this amazing community of actors from all over the world, and be vulnerable and authentic is honestly what makes my heart sing.
(And let’s not forget, vulnerability + authenticity is also what makes you a compelling actor).
I’ve also been hearing from actors everywhere that you’ve been feeling off your game lately, questioning your self-tape submissions and wondering how you’ll deliver your best work on the job in our “new normal…(or all of the above),
I hear you + I decided to do something about it.
I just put together a BRAND-NEW FREE MASTERCLASS and am going to teach it to you LIVE in August.
I’m going to walk you through a simple + proven process to uplevel your self-tapes, book more jobs + shine under pressure.
I can’t wait to share my empowering methods + easy-to-implement tools that have helped countless actors (at every level + in every market) book more work in TV, Film, VO, Commercials, Theater. (yes, even in a global pandemic).
You’ll walk away feeling empowered, encouraged + confident in your ability to navigate the road ahead, deliver your best auditions + bring your best self to the job. (Even when everyone around you is (more…)
I know we often want the conditions to change so we can start feeling better.
As actors, we often spend a lot of time “hoping we will feel better when…we get a callback, we get a new agent, or when we book the job.”
Yes, I’ve done that too.
And now, there seems to be a collective “hoping we will feel better when….this pandemic is finally over.”
The reason this way of thinking makes us feel so powerless, is because we are allowing the external conditions (the callback, the agent, the job, the pandemic), to dictate how we feel.
Sure, we’d all like to be back working (and I’d love for my kids to return to in-person school next week), but I am reminded during these times, that we do have the power to choose our focus.And it is our focus that determines how we feel.
Think about it. Have you ever been stuck in traffic and noticed one driver who is angry and frustrated and another driver who is singing and dancing along to their music? Same situation. Different focus. DIfferent feeling.
I’ve had my own share of ups and downs these past few months, but in sitting down to record this month’s guided meditation for my Spotlight Club + Community, this new math equation came to me. An equation for feeling bliss, right now. (Yes, even among all kinds of conditions that I may not like).
This equation has reminded me that it’s not about waiting for the perfect conditions to appear, but having a process for finding the light even on my darkest days. I hope it helps you too.
Which element of this equation might you focus on more today?
Imagine how it would feel to practice all five of these elements, every single day for a week.
Been going from feeling good one moment to feeling agitated the next? (This was me on Friday). Been starting the day feeling overwhelmed + then check the news + start feeling worse? Been noticing other actors thriving during this time + wondering how the heck they’re staying productive?
You are not alone.
I know this year has been an emotional roller coaster ride, like no other.
As I go through my own ups and downs, I continue to seek new answers to new questions.
And as I set out to write a new guided meditation each month, I’ve been blown away at what shows up in the stillness of this process.
I know we all want things to change so we can start feeling better,but I also know that real manifestation begins within. (even during tough times).
We’ve been conditioned that seeking external circumstances (and even material things) will somehow make us feel bliss.
We spend our days, months + years, striving to get somewhere, in the hopes that when we arrive at our “destination,” we will somehow feel better.
We put off our happiness to the elusive “One day when this happens…” kind of thinking and we spend our lives chasing a dream of happiness that somehow still, no matter what we obtain or achieve, continues to elude us.
Mainly because we didn’t learn (or perhaps we forgot along the way), that the key to creating something is to embody the emotions ahead of time.
Not waiting for the manifestation to bring the feeling, but to create the feeling within now. That’s the inner work.
Imagine feeling the bliss you’re seeking…today. (We’re actors, so using our imagination to feel is something we all know how to do for a role, but now it’s time to be diligent about doing this in your daily life.)
And when you do, not only do you shift your state of being, but your world shifts to match the feeling.
I BOOKED THE JOB! LISTENING TO CREATING POWERFUL AUDITIONS MADE A DIFFERENCE!
"Been listening to your "Creating Powerful Auditions" mp3 daily since purchasing about a week ago. Listened to it on the way to an audition...took a few moments before leaving my car to do the visualizations. I walked into the audition room feeling totally empowered, feeling light. I booked the job. I feel your album made a difference. Thank you, Wendy."
I BOOKED TWO ACTING GIGS IN THE SAME WEEK BECAUSE I HAD HER CD ON REPEAT!
"I listen to Wendy's guided meditations pretty much every chance I get. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have her amazing voice in my ear keeping me empowered, inspired + in the right mental space to persevere day in and day out. I booked two acting gigs in the same week because I had Wendy's Creating Powerful Auditions album on repeat. Thank you WENDY for your positivity + light!"
I'VE TURNED A SLOW STREAK INTO A BOOKING STREAK AND I FEEL REALLY EMPOWERED.
"Wendy is so generous with her knowledge and understanding of the deeper, inside work that goes into living a healthy, happy, well balanced actor life. Her daily inspirations mean so much to me...and I'm grateful for the custom guided meditation she wrote for me. I've turned a slow streak into a booking streak & I feel really empowered."
2013-11-25T02:34:15-08:00
Community, iCarly, Good Luck Charlie
https://actorinspiration.com/testimonials/bartag/
Joe Mack
YOUR AFFIRMATIONS ALLOWED ME TO STEP OUT OF THE FEAR AND BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM.
"I just returned from an audition after listening to your guided meditations. Your affirmations allowed me to step out of the fear and be present in the room. As I waited for my audition I envisioned the session being successful and feeling empowered afterward. And it was and I did."
SINCE LISTENING TO YOUR GUIDED MEDITATIONS, I BOOKED 2 FEATURE FILMS
"I bought Creating Powerful Auditions and I listen to it every morning. "Empowering Myself" is my absolute favorite meditation, sometimes I put it on repeat until I fully and truly feel every declaration. Since I've been listening to your guided meditations I booked my first feature film + also recently booked the lead role in my first horror film. Thank you for coming into my life!”
